Nigel Olsson (born 10 February 1949) is an English rock drummer and singer best known for his long-time affiliation with Elton John.

A dynamic drummer and backing vocalist, Olsson helped establish the Elton John sound as a member of John's original power trio alongside bassist Dee Murray. When not working with John, Olsson has taken up the role of a session musician. Olsson has composed, recorded, and produced albums for his own solo career.

Contents

Career

Early years

Olsson was born to John and Elsa Olsson in Wallasey, Cheshire, England, the second of five boys.[1] He began his musical career playing the guitar in small bands, and took up the drums at a gig where the drummer did not show up at the last minute.[2] His first appearance on a record album was in the band Plastic Penny, which released Two Sides of a Penny on Page One Records in 1968. Olsson was spotlighted on one song on that album, "I Want You," performing both lead vocals and a drum solo. In 1969 he played drums on the "flower power" pop single "Mr. Boyd" b/w "Imagine" by Argosy, a one-off group which also included Reginald Dwight (later known as Elton John), Caleb Quaye, and Roger Hodgson.[3] Olsson also had a brief stint with the English hard rock band Uriah Heep, playing drums on one song on their 1970 debut LP, Very 'eavy... Very 'umble. Subsequently, he played drums on one track on Elton John's debut album, Empty Sky, and then became a member of The Spencer Davis Group with bassist Dee Murray. The pair joined John on the road as his touring band in April 1970, and played with John during his debut tour in the United States at the Troubadour Club on 25 August 1970. Only permitted at first to play on one track of each of John's early studio albums, Olsson and Murray, along with guitarist Davey Johnstone, became Elton’s studio band with the recording of Honky Chateau in January 1972.

The Elton John band, while still a trio- Olsson in the center on drums, 1971

In 1971, Olsson produced and released his debut solo album Nigel Olsson's Drum Orchestra and Chorus on Uni Records; featuring Murray and Hookfoot guitarist Caleb Quaye, who had played on John's early albums. Olsson also teamed up with the Liverpooltrio, The Big Three, for their reunion album Resurrection (1973).

Olsson continued working as a studio musician, releasing another self-titled album produced by Paul Davis on Columbia in 1978. Although that album brought no Top 40 recognition, in 1979 he released the album Nigel and enjoyed some mild success as a solo artist, scoring a pair of Top 40 hits on the U.S. pop chart with "A Little Bit of Soap" and "Dancin' Shoes", the latter of which cracked the Top 20 at #18. "Dancin' Shoes" was written by Carl Storie, and first recorded by his Faith Band.

In August 1980, he released the album Changing Tides on CBS's Bang Records, but the album failed to achieve chart success. That same year, Olsson returned to Elton John's band to begin a four-year tenure, appearing on John's albums 21 at 33 and The Fox. He rejoined former bandmates Murray and Johnstone for the tour behind John's 1982 album Jump Up!, and stayed with the reformed band through the next two albums and tours for Too Low for Zero (1983) and Breaking Hearts (1984). Following another line-up change, they would rejoin only one more time in 1988 for backing vocals on Reg Strikes Back prior to Murray's untimely death on 15 January 1992.

In 1991 Olsson reunited with Johnstone in the band 'Warpipes', releasing Holes in the Heavens. Although the album was critically successful, it failed commercially when their label, Artful Balance, went bankrupt, and the band was unable to tour to support the record. Olsson also sang on Davey Johnstone and Guy Babylon's production of Addison Steel's Stormy Blue that year.

On 31 March 2000, Olsson sang backing vocals alongside Billy Trudel and Ken Stacey when John appeared on The Today Show to promote the soundtrack to the film The Road to El Dorado. On 3 April, Olsson played drums on three songs at the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS benefit saluting John at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City. By the time of John's "One Night Only" concerts in New York City on 20 and 21 October, Olsson was alternating with and playing drums alongside Curt Bisquera. In January 2001, Olsson took over the full-time drumming chores when Bisquera left to pursue other projects.

In 2001 Olsson released another solo album entitled Move The Universe on 81 Records. Davey Johnstone and Guy Babylon produced the record and played on all of the tracks, along with Bob Birch on bass, Elton John alumnus Fred Mandel on piano, John Mahon on percussion, and Billy Trudel on backing vocals. Kiki Dee sang lead vocals on "Naked Without You", and Olsson's brother Kai sang lead vocals on McGuinness Flint's "When I'm Dead an' Gone." The track "Building A Bird" had been written by Elton John & Bernie Taupin in 1994 during the sessions for Elton's album "Made in England," but never recorded. Olsson dedicated the album to the late Dee Murray.

On his 68th birthday, 10 February 2017, Olsson played his 2,267th concert with Elton John at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada.[6]

Personal life

Olsson has two children: Justin, who lives with his wife Angela in the United States, and Annette, who lives with her husband Barry and children Ashley and Katie in England.[1] He has been married to Schanda Butler since 25 June 1989[1], and resides in Los Angeles.

Olsson is a longtime car and racing fanatic, and has been associated with VARA and HMSA as both a racecar driver and a pace car driver.[1]

Equipment

Olsson endorses DW drums, pedals & hardware,[7]Paiste cymbals,[8]Remo drumheads, Vic Firth drumsticks, Sony headphones and FootJoy golf gloves.[9] According to the FAQ on his official website, the reasons he wears gloves is to protect his hands from splinters and calluses, to maintain a better grip on his sticks, and "because they're flash".[10]